1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to the field of providing nourishment and sustenance to the very young and/or the disabled. More specifically, this invention relates to a mesh type feeder that may be used to feed infants, small children or adults who might otherwise be susceptible to choking while being fed.
2. Description of the Related Technology
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,364,348 and 6,524,272 describe mesh type feeders that are used in the feeding of infants and small children to facilitate the transition between bottle feeding and spoon feeding. These feeders included a mesh enclosure that is held open by a holder and a handle member/plug that is threaded so as to be screwed into and seal an opening that is defined in the holder. The apparatus was described in that patent and later U.S. patent as having particular utility in the administration of certain foods, such as semi solid foods.
In the devices described above the handle member necessarily had to be completely disengaged and removed from the member that holds the mesh enclosure in order to insert or remove food from the interior of the mesh enclosure. This could possibly result in the handle being misplaced or contaminated with bacteria if the caregiver finds it necessary to temporarily place the handle in an unhygienic location while preparing the food and placing into the mesh enclosure. Bacteria could also be transmitted to the mesh enclosure from the caregiver's hand during screwing and unscrewing of the handle member/plug. Caregivers tend to be quite busy, especially if responsible for more than one child and are frequently trying to do several things at once. The process of screwing and unscrewing the handle member/plug from the holder necessarily required the caregiver to use both hands and required a range of wrist motion that could be painful for older caregivers or caregivers with arthritis. This is exacerbated by the fact that many caregivers might prefer to use the feeder to feed the child small amounts of food at a time, which would necessitate frequent screwing and unscrewing of the handle member/plug.
A need exists for an improved mesh type feeder that is more convenient to use and more sanitary than the conventional mesh feeders described above.